Princess Nathalie Makes Triumphant Return to Win Copenhagen Grand Prix

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Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein on Digby competing at Aachen, Germany in 2009. © Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com
Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein on Digby competing at Aachen, Germany in 2009. © Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

COPENHAGEN, Aug. 20–The immensely popular Princess Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein made a triumphant return to competition Friday–after giving birth to a baby boy four weeks ago–by riding her top horse, Digby, to victory in the Grand Prix at the 1st Horse International CDI3*.

In her first international competition in five months, the princess and Digby were the only combination to score above 70 per cent, receiving a mark of 71.96 per cent with Anne Troensegaard on Seduc second on 69.36 per cent and Anne van Olst on Exquis Clearwater third on 69.23 per cent.

The princess, 35, is married to Alexander Johannsmann, who operates a horse transportation business, and gave birth to a boy, Konstantin Gustav Heinrich Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg-Johannsmann, on July 24. He goes by Konstantin.

Her return to the show arena in top form also appears to open the way for Denmark to field a team at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky next month, as there had been extensive speculation that without their top rider Denmark could not put together a team that would be competitive at the world championships.

Digby is a 13-year-old Danish warmblood gelding Princess Nathalie competed at the 2008 Olympics along with Anne van Olst and Clearwater and Andreas Helgstrand and Don Schufro to win team bronze. He was also her partner in the 2009 European Championships at Windsor, England.

Complete results of the Grand Prix:

Digby Nathalie Zu Sayn Wittgenstein DEN 342 339 323 346 341  1691 71.96 1
Seduc Anne Troensegaard DEN 335 321 327 323 324  1630 69.36 2
Clearwater Anne Van Olst DEN 325 330 317 334 321  1627 69.23 3
Atterupgaards Molberg Sanne Henningsen DEN 316 327 327 328 318  1616 68.77 4
Mas Guapo Mikaela Lindh FIN 328 312 312 322 326  1600 68.09 5
Premier A. van Essen NED 316 325 315 316 323  1595 67.87 6
Blue Hors Romanov Sune Laust Hansen DEN 320 315 323 325 311  1594 67.83
Donner Hit Ellen Bodenkamp GER 318 304 318 310 308  1558 66.30
Salvador Stephanie Peters NED 312 315 307 308 309  1551 66.00
Orlando Cathrine Rasmussen NOR 310 289 294 306 309  1508 64.17
Anatol 66 Martin Christensen DEN 310 296 296 305 298  1505 64.04
Impaciente II Teresa Jauquicoa ESP 294 296 314 298 294  1496 63.66
Cajo Bo Thomas Høstrup DEN 305 293 297 289 309  1493 63.53
Bocelli 1044 Rose Mathisen SWE 300 293 279 300 308  1480 62.98
Leonberg Mikala Münter Gundersen DEN 300 300 275 312 285  1472 62.64
CC Royal Ellen Birgitte Farbrot NOR 309 288 284 304 284  1469 62.51
Cartier Jonas Elvebakk NOR 290 281 287 300 300  1458 62.04
MD Waterford Alexandra Malmström FIN 297 292 285 300 284  1458 62.04
Carte D’Or Camilla Kalseth NOR 297 293 280 289 296  1455 61.91
King Arthur TSF Petra Wilm GER 297 284 282 277 282  1422 60.51
Aquino Jeanette Sund DEN 286 280 283 293 276  1418 60.34
Ajax Två Nina Bengtsson SWE OPGIVET